Independent learning

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Independent learning
CATHERINE EARL

As Chapter 5 has shown, student success at university is pegged on a rapid adjustment to the university environment and culture which, unlike school, involves a new style of learning. Independent learning is an umbrella term covering all aspects of university learning from undertaking individual reading and research, attending lectures and tutorials to accepting responsibility for a workload. Independent learning was described, in a 1996 pilot with 57 first year English students, as “sharing intellectual control with students” (Kantanis, 2000:
109). For lecturers in universities to share intellectual control with their students implies, firstly, that they are willing to engage in student-centred approaches and, secondly, that university structures enable this to occur. For students to accept a share in intellectual control, they must be willing to enter into a mutual agreement and take responsibility to do so.
In this chapter, former pathways students explain the key practices of independent learning as they understand them for success in university study. These include forming the right attitude and accepting responsibility to manage and regulate learning as well as practical skills to be an effective, self-directed learner, such as note-taking, tutorial engagement and purposeful reading strategies. MSAFP and DoTS pathway students detail the metacognitive aspects of their knowledge about how to study at university and meet the challenges imposed by a new style of learning.

Taking responsibility
Former pathways students recognised the importance of taking responsibility for their own learning once they commenced studying at university. Chipo, Lebogang, Tony and Jaco each pointed out that keeping up to date at university is a responsibility for each student and that, without the direction of parents and teachers, time-management skills become important in managing the workload.
For Chipo, “you have to be more responsible for your actions” and for Lebogang,
“you have to make sure” that you complete the assignments on time.

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The Foundation Programme, I think, taught me how to work and be a person who is more reliant on myself. So if I don’t do the work and I don’t get the grades, I know it is on me. Varsity is where you have to be more responsible for all your actions. You have to be aware of whatever you are doing. You just can’t be negligent. (Chipo − MSAFP)
At university, you are just given assignments at the beginning of [the] semester and then you have to make sure that you do them well in time. There is no one to manage you and push you to do those assignments. In high school the teachers always ask you about the assignments: “Did you do it? Why didn’t you do the assignment well, and on time?” But here if you don’t do the assignment on time, they subtract marks and then you fail. (Lebogang − MSAFP)

Like them, Tony and Jaco also emphasised that a student must take responsibility for their studies. For Tony, rather than parents, “you decide” and for Jaco,
“everything is just up to you”.
I think it is all about you taking responsibility for your own work. You find in high school, if you’re with your parents, your parents are there to put pressure on you. You find your parents saying, “No more TV. Go and study now.” But now, it’s you yourself. You decide your study times. You decide whether you’re going to do an assignment or not. You balance your social life and your school life. You balance it yourself. It’s not your parents who do that for you now. (Tony −
MSAFP)
Basically time management is left to you for everything. You don’t have people telling you that this has to be done. Everything is just up to you. For me, it wasn’t a challenge because I had come from a working background. (Jaco − MSAFP)

Similarly, former DoTS students highlighted that taking responsibility to learn is essential for persisting with university study. Pip and Copernicus also emphasised the importance of keeping up to date without the guidance of teachers and parents. For Pip, taking responsibility was “quite hard”, while for Copernicus, taking responsibility was “one of the biggest things”.
I suppose just learning for ourselves and taking that much responsibility for our own learning, that was quite hard. (Pip − DoTS)
Compared to high school, everything’s your responsibility now. You have to make sure you do it. I think that was definitely one of the biggest things for me. If I was going to struggle with anything, it was being responsible. (Copernicus − DoTS)

Alicia, Kirsty, Tara and Max considered taking responsibility for their studies to be part of becoming independent. For Alicia, “you’ve got to keep on top of it” and for Kirsty “it’s all independent” and “there’s no one chasing you”.

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It’s very independent here. You’ve got to keep on top of it. There’s no one to tell you, “This is where you’ve got to be at.” (Alicia − DoTS)
It’s all up to you I suppose. It’s all independent. If you don’t do the readings, there’s no one chasing you to say you’ve got to do them. If you don’t have an assignment in, there are not many excuses you can use to get an extension. (Kirsty −
DoTS)

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Like them, Tara and Max emphasised the importance of taking responsibility for their studies. For Tara, “it’s up to you”. For Max, university study involves “less guidance basically” and you “do it on your own”.
Obviously it’s up to you to get the assignment in on time. To write it, you’re not really going to have a lot of help from other people like teachers. It was hard to be responsible for yourself, not having the teachers constantly having tabs on you and things like that, and not guiding you through. That took me a little while but I got used to it eventually. (Tara − DoTS)
First year wasn’t dissimilar to high school. It was with less guidance basically. So there was just the requirement for you to be more independent, to go out and do it on your own. (Max − DoTS)

For school leavers who were used to being reminded by teachers to complete their work, an adjustment to independent learning at university was a stark contrast, but they emphasised the centrality of independent learning in university study. Rachel, Meg and Caitlyn each reflected on the difficulty of working independently. For Rachel, studying without a teacher supervising her was the hardest. While for Meg, adjusting to not having anyone to remind her was the most difficult thing, Caitlyn observed “nobody is going to chase you”.
Having to work by myself at home I’d say was the hardest, because the teachers weren’t sitting there saying, “Right, you’ve got 45 minutes to get this piece of work done. Go and do it.” (Rachel − DoTS)
The most difficult thing was probably not so much the fact that you are on your own, but the fact that people won’t remind you. You’ve got to make sure that you’ve got that assignment done. That’s all on you. I think the responsibility was pretty heavy because you’re so used to everybody else taking care of you. Now you’re a grown-up, you’re here and you’ve got to do it yourself. (Meg − DoTS)
Here you have to be independent. Nobody is going to chase you if you don’t hand in the assignment. Not that lecturers don’t care, but you’re just another name on the list. Their job is to teach and your job is to learn and if you’re not keeping up your end, I guess it’s just too bad. (Caitlyn − DoTS)

Besides taking responsibility for their own learning, former pathways students also struggled with self-motivation, self-discipline, and self-direction. Sammy,
Marie and Tony all learned to direct themselves to study. For Sammy, “you have to learn to do things”. For Marie, “you don’t have anyone on your back telling you”. For Tony, not completing work is the student’s “loss”.
Independence matters most. I would also say self-motivation. It taught me to study for myself because of the deadlines and the lecturers were pushing. You have to learn to do things for yourself because no one is going to do them for you.
(Sammy − MSAFP)
I think a lot of people struggle with self-discipline, especially if you don’t have anyone on your back telling you, “Look, it’s 8 o’clock. You have to go to class.”
(Marie − MSAFP)
If you don’t do it, it is your loss. (Tony − MSAFP)

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In contrast, Jaco arrived as a very self-directed student who had no trouble keeping up to date. For Jaco, “if you start something, you finish it”.
I’m one person to really work to my timetable. I don’t like to be late for anything.
If anything needs to be done, it needs to be done the proper way. That’s something I’ve grown up with from my parents. If you start something, you finish it, period, within the time frame. (Jaco − MSAFP)

Choosing to be a university student and making a conscious decision to learn are important for becoming a self-directed learner. Caitlyn, Denise and Sorcha pointed out that each student must make the choice to study for themselves. For
Caitlyn, a student − not the person’s mother − must “make the decision to do it”.
For Denise, a student must “want to do it”. For Sorcha, a student must become self-regulated and must “be interested in studying”.
Being independent, having to do things for yourself, is hard. The work is challenging, but I expected that. It’s not like when you’re in Year 12 and your mum wants you to finish and your school wants you to finish. My mum probably couldn’t have told you what I was doing at uni. There is no one to sort of push you along. You have to make the decision to do it yourself. (Caitlyn − DoTS)
Studying at school you’ve got no choice. You’ve got people on your back reminding you of what you have to do, when it has to be done, and how to do it, whereas at university you have to be motivated and want to do it. You have to be self-directed. (Denise − DoTS)
You have to be interested in studying, otherwise no amount of motivation or teacher-input can help. You’ve got to be a self-regulated learner. You can’t lean on your friends to take you through an exam. (Sorcha − DoTS)

Deciding to learn is not always an easy process for new students. Having commenced the DoTS pathway three years after finishing high school, Nursing student Vaughan struggled to become a self-directed learner.
A difficult thing was probably the self-directedness of uni. I’ve never been self-directed. I still struggle with it a little bit [in my third year]. (Vaughan − DoTS)

While Vaughan struggled with self-directedness throughout his degree, during the DoTS pathway, he sought professional advice to find that he had to “get on with it” himself.
I’d gone and seen the counsellors and they alerted me to the reality that no one is going to do it except me, so there are no quick fixes there. We had a bit of a chat about things and you realise you have to get on with it. (Vaughan − DoTS)

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Becoming a self-regulating learner involves taking individual responsibility for learning, for keeping up to date, and for becoming independent. These requirements for university study appear to be well recognised by former pathways students even though many struggled, as do most new university students, with the initial transition.

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Putting in effort
Putting in effort to learn, to understand the materials and to complete the required work are among the most demanding aspects of university study. In
South Africa, Accounting lecturers at Stellenbosch University assumed high student failure rates were due to poor preparation on the part of the students. Their
Accounting students agreed, with one third suggesting that their classmates did not put in sufficient effort and half believing they themselves did not study hard enough. These students also suggested that attending class and putting in effort were among the most important factors for persisting with university study
(Steenkamp, Baard & Frick, 2009: 151−152).
Former MSAFP and DoTS pathways students attested to the importance of putting in effort. Pip, Lisa, Vaughan, Sorcha and Reap explained putting in effort in terms of understanding course materials. For Pip, it was important to “make an effort to understand”. For Lisa, it was important to “get the answers” and
“know your stuff”. For Vaughan, it was important for a student to learn the course materials and “know” they “did it” by themselves.
I always make an effort to understand. I definitely don’t do the amount of work outside my contact hours that I should, but I make an effort to understand it.
When I do have contact hours, I’ll make an effort to understand it and, if I don’t, then I go out and read up on it. I think it makes a difference if you want to be here and you actually want to understand the work. I think that’s what makes a good uni student. (Pip − DoTS)
I know that I’ve got to get things done. If I don’t get them done, then I’m not going to get the answers. We have quizzes each week and you can’t answer the quizzes if you haven’t studied and you don’t know your stuff. (Lisa − DoTS)
I read my chapter and I don’t collaborate with other people. I just tend to do it by myself because I want to know that I did it by myself, not because someone else has written down all the answers for me. (Vaughan − DoTS)

Like them, Sorcha and Reap emphasised the importance of making an effort to learn. For Sorcha, “you can become smart” with hard work and effort. For Reap,
“you can’t fake it”.
You can be smart and not do the work and not be successful and not achieve your goals, whereas if you have the time, the passion and all that, you can become smart. (Sorcha − DoTS)
You can’t breeze through uni. You’ve got to be able to do the work. You can’t fake it. (Reap − DoTS)

A willingness to put in effort to learn involves having the right attitude toward study which includes commitment and dedication. Barbara and Kendall believed that without the right attitude it is difficult for new students to adapt to university and experience academic success. For Barbara, university “has to be your number-one priority” and for Kendall, a student should “work so hard for it”.
I think you have to be committed. You have to be committed to go to uni. Just because you’ve got the brain, you got the marks, you got accepted, you might as

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well go and do it − it’s not really the right attitude, because you’re a nuisance, mostly to the tutors and lecturers. You have to be committed. You have to be there because you want to be there. I think it has to be your number-one priority to a certain extent. Get your assignments done. Get your uni work done. Then play. (Barbara − DoTS)
I just think you have to be dedicated. You have to know what you want. You have to work for it. It’s not just going to fall in your lap. Once you get it, it’s the best.
Like I’m not even finished my course yet, but I’ve just got a job as a Division Two nurse and I’m wrapped. You work so hard for it and when you get there, it’s the best. (Kendall − DoTS)

A willingness to put in effort coupled with an attitude of dedication and commitment are attributes of an independent learner.
Becoming an independent learner involves a new approach to study. Former pathways students contrasted their expectations of university learning with their experiences of becoming independent learners. Anna and Simon reflected on different ideas about students and study. For Anna, a student should be “smart”,
“independent” and have a “love of learning”. For Simon, study at university involves thinking, discussing, “collaborating your thoughts and learning new things” as well as reading, reasoning and writing.
[st3:When I was in Year 12 I would say that you have to be smart to come here. But doing DoTS teaches you what you need to be. You have to have a love of learning. You have to be an independent learner. (Anna − DoTS)
I remember in high school that I didn’t know what studying was. Now, for me, studying means doing what I need to do. I think of doing the work that requires me to think and learn something outside a lecture. Thinking is part of studying and so is discussing. It’s a process. You’re collaborating your thoughts and learning new things. An assignment is a good example. Because you have to read extra material, you have to have an understanding, you have to do your reasoning and you have to put your ideas down. (Simon − DoTS)
Like Simon, Tony recognised the differences of degree study. For Tony, study at university involves “work on your own” and “research on your own”.
In MSAFP I was used to having, let’s say, three tutorials in a week and in those tutorials I could work through that assignment with my lecturers and find out what I have to do. But you find in undergrad you only have one tutorial in a week and you have to do your work on your own, research on your own and everything.
(Tony − MSAFP)

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Becoming an independent learner involves students also recognising when they need help. Asking for help is an issue that new university students, and particularly pathways students, find challenging. For example, in the UK, low SES students studying at Sheffield Hallam University tended not to ask for help but rather accepted their difficulties with university study as though they were a normal part of life. In in-depth interviews, both mature-aged students and school leavers reported they rarely approached tutors and instead preferred to draw on informal supports and peer networks. One student reported being afraid the

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tutor would think she was a “slacker”, while others drew on a “strong sense of self-reliance” coupled with an “immense determination to succeed” (Clegg,
Bradley & Smith, 2006: 107−108, 111). Similarly, in a survey of 101 direct entry
Business students in Scotland, the majority did not disclose personal issues that might affect their study (Barron & D’Annunzio-Green, 2009: 20).
Although students may be reluctant to consult tutors in person, they are also reluctant to seek help online. In Australia, at a new suburban campus of the University of Queensland, students knuckled down to study independently and without assistance. More than 80% of the students rarely, if ever, asked for help, support, or assistance online (Ballantyne, Madden, & Todd, 2009: 306). New students may not feel comfortable to ask for help when they deal with new lecturers and tutors each semester. Both mature-aged students and school leavers at the University of Wollongong felt that interaction with their lecturers, whether online or face to face, was important in feeling comfortable enough to ask for help (Lefoe, Gunn & Hedberg, 2002: 44). Other students, studying Psychology at
Macquarie University, found they only received help from a tutor when they asked directly for assistance (Plum, 1999: 244−245).
While former DoTS students described independence at university as being
“up to you”, they also pointed out that assistance is available when requested.
Paige, Therese and Helen each stressed the importance of seeking assistance and asking for help. For Paige, it is important not to be scared to seek advice.
For Therese, it is important to “ask them”. For Helen, it is important to “take the initiative” and “go and ask for help”.
I think you have to make sure that you’re not scared about going to ask for help, because people are there to help you. (Paige − DoTS)
My brother did say to me once that the lecturers are there to help you. If you have a question, you must ask them. (Therese − DoTS)
I think you have to be more independent. You have to be willing to put in the work and you have to be willing to ask for help. Those who aren’t willing to ask for help, they fall by the wayside. When you know you might be drowning, you’ve just got to get up and take the initiative. Like in a workplace, no one will come and ask you. You’ve got to go and ask for help yourself. (Helen − DoTS)

Furthermore, Helen outlined the strategies she used in asking for help when, as a pathway student, she was “afraid” or just “confident enough” to seek advice.
I would just go and ask whoever I needed to ask. I’d knock on people’s door − lecturers, tutors, anyone. If I was a bit afraid of asking, I’d actually ring and ask at the front office, “Who do I speak to?” and they’d put you through. I was confident enough to do that, I think, from working in my gap year. If I hadn’t worked that year, I think I probably wouldn’t have been. (Helen − DoTS)

Putting in effort helps a student adjust to the new style of independent learning at university. Independent learning requires a student to become metacognitive about their learning and study habits, so they are aware of when to seek advice.
Taking the initiative to ask for help is an attribute of a student who is taking control of their learning and becoming independent.

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The right attitude
Students cannot become independent learners unless they have the right attitude to study and a willingness to learn. Melinda, Lisa and Vaughan recognised the importance of a willingness to learn in university study and each drew on their vocational motivation to persist with university study. For Melinda, wanting to learn is “probably number one”. For Lisa, it is important to “want to learn”. For
Vaughan, it is important to have a “desire to learn” to absorb information.
Wanting to be a student and wanting to learn are probably number one. Wanting to actually do it, because you’ll never do it if you don’t want to. You have to want to learn. If you just want to be a nurse, you can be a nurse with just a pass. But to be a good nurse, you have to want to be a student. You have the chance to learn, so you can get High Distinctions, so that you can be a great nurse, not just a nurse. (Melinda − DoTS)
I want to learn. I never used to want to learn, but I do now. I actually want to learn about all the different things and how everything works in Nursing. (Lisa −
DoTS)
I think it’s about willingness to learn too. There’s a mountain of information out there. If you’ve got no desire to learn, you’re not going to take any of it in, so you’ve got to want to be there. (Vaughan − DoTS)

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The right attitude helps a student actually complete the work. A student’s attitude to learning is important in accepting the responsibility of a university workload. Whether a student’s most recent learning experiences were at a secondary school, a vocational college, or in the workplace, becoming an independent learner in a university environment necessitates a different attitude (Booth,
1997).
Age may also influence a student’s attitude. In Australia, mature-aged students have been found to be more committed to study than school leavers. Compared to school leavers in outer western Brisbane, twice as many studying parents
(over the age of 25) never skipped classes and regularly used support services.
Moreover, students more than one year out of school were more confident and decisive than school leavers and were seven times more likely to complete the weekly readings (22% versus 3%) (Ballantyne, Madden & Todd, 2009: 307−308).
While it may be the case that mature-age students have the right attitude to study, many school leavers in the MSAFP and DoTS pathway also demonstrate the right attitude.
Having a willingness to change may best indicate a student’s capacity to adjust to independent learning as well as to enable academic engagement and epistemological access. In the UK, a University of Nottingham survey of History students found two-thirds of students expected to change over the period of their degree, suggesting that adjustment to university is an ongoing process and not just a difficult phase at the beginning of the first year. These History students, who preferred discussion and debate over any other method of learning, expected to develop open-mindedness, interpersonal communication skills, and independence (Booth, 1997: 209, 214; see also Brownlee, Walker, Lennox, Exley &

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Pearce, 2009). Their positive attitudes to learning enabled them to persist with study. Similarly, former MSAFP and DoTS pathway students highlighted the influence of a student’s attitude in persisting with university study. Persistence depends on motivation and engagement as well as commitment and a sense of responsibility to learn. Sammy, Elaine and Lindy affirmed a willingness to learn underpins success in university study.
You have to want to do something to achieve success in it. (Sammy − MSAFP)
If you put your mind to it and tell yourself you can do it, you can be successful.
That’s what I think. (Elaine − MSAFP)
I tell myself, “This is your future. The future is in your hands.” Nobody can write my exam for me. Nobody can study for me. It’s my future. It’s my life and the way
I live it is my choice. I make myself study by looking at everyone else studying.
When they’re all studying, I get motivated to study. (Lindy − MSAFP)

Like them, Meg, Paige and Therese each clearly articulated a willingness to learn and recognised that university study is serious business. Meg and Paige highlighted that the right attitude helps a student achieve success, while Therese stressed that skills development is made possible when a student has the right attitude. When I came here, I was 19 and I was ready to start being a grown-up. What I do now is going to play out my future. Every step I take is towards where I want to be. (Meg − DoTS)
I think I’m a lot more focused now. I know what I have to do and what needs to be done, that I can’t slack off and that I have to meet deadlines. I know that because I’ve chosen to do this, I have to put in the effort. (Paige − DoTS)
You should actually want to be here and to take it seriously. You’re not here just to have fun. With skills, you can develop them over time. You can teach yourself how to study and what’s the best way to study, how to find information that you need and that is relevant, then to be able to differentiate between what’s relevant and what’s not relevant. But that comes with time I think. (Therese − DoTS)

Other former pathways students expressed an awareness of their changing attitudes to study. Caitlyn recalled, with some humour, the dependent attitude she overcame during the first semester of the DoTS pathway.
I remember actually asking the lecturer if I could have my birthday off, and he said no! (Caitlyn − DoTS)

Chloe and Lisa reflected on their changing attitudes toward their social lives as they became more serious about study. Chloe gave up excessive partying on weekends, while Lisa changed her “party life into uni life”
I went out every weekend and got drunk. I’ve given that up now, because a hangover lasts quite a few days with me. It really knocks me down. (Chloe − DoTS)
I just needed to change my party life into uni life. I liked to hang out with my friends more and go out on the weekends. But that’s changed now. (Lisa − DoTS)

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Vicky, Lisa and Melinda reiterated that a student’s attitude is reflected in their behaviour and highlighted that choosing to attend classes reflected a commitment to study and a sense of responsibility to learn.
Turn up to- class. Don’t just say, “If I miss this lecture, it won’t matter,” because it will. The blackboard site doesn’t give you everything. (Vicky − DoTS)
I know there are compulsory classes, but you have a choice of what you want to learn and what you want to do. (Lisa − DoTS)
If you don’t want to go to lectures, don’t. If you don’t want to go to tutes, don’t. If you don’t want to do the readings, don’t. It’s your education that suffers from it and it’s your grades. I don’t want to say there are not people there to help you, but they’re only there if you ask for help. (Melinda − DoTS)

Former students of both the MSAFP and DoTS pathways point out that successful students are self-disciplined. Sammy, Chitalu and Chloe reflected on how selfdiscipline helped them not only to keep up to date, but also to enjoy studying.
I have a personal laptop and when I find myself playing [games], then I think that tomorrow I have a tutorial and if I have studied enough for that. If I haven’t, I immediately switch off, so I start reading my lecture slides and trying to understand the questions that might be discussed in the tutorial. (Sammy − MSAFP)
It’s not really hard work when you are disciplined and you do what you’re supposed to do. But when you take it lightly and you just have fun, it really becomes hard work. (Chitalu − MSAFP)
I don’t really need to make myself do it because most essays I enjoy writing and enjoy learning. I guess I’m pretty disciplined. (Chloe − DoTS)

Yet, other former pathways students also pointed out the risks of procrastination and avoidance. Chipo, Tara and Lisa reflected on wasting time and delaying, or avoiding, study commitments. For Chipo, postponing study is “time wasted”, while for Tara and for Lisa, it was easy to “put things off” or put “everything aside”. If you waste your time, time wasted is time that you can never get back. I had to learn these things as I went along because, you know, you postpone things. You say, “Oh no, I’ll do it later” and then next thing you discover you’ve got an assignment due tomorrow. (Chipo − MSAFP)
I tend to procrastinate a little bit and to put things off. (Tara − DoTS)
At the start, I was too busy stressing out and putting everything aside and not even thinking about it. In the second half of my first year, I got the hang of what uni is all about and what you’ve got to do to get by. (Lisa − DoTS)

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Like them, Daniel, who returned to study from the workforce, tended to procrastinate. The solution was to have his life “timetabled”.
I’m a terminal procrastinator. I always have been and stupidly enough I’ve been conditioned to actually continue to do so because I keep getting reasonable results in spite of procrastinating. I timetable a lot. I have my life timetabled so I start the semester saying, “Alright, I have this on this day and this on that day” and then

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around work I schedule one day where I focus on each subject. On that day, whether it is travelling on the train or at home in the afternoon, I do all of the reading and work on assignments and stuff like that. I allocate the time to do the work. (Daniel − DoTS)

One aspect of independent learning that former pathways students found easy was being “in control” of their own study. In contrast to high school where students felt pushed, particularly by teachers and through competition with their peers, at university students directed their own learning. Lindy found being in control “the easiest thing” about becoming an independent learner.
The easiest thing was being in control. I didn’t have a very hard time getting used to being in control. (Lindy − MSAFP)

Like Lindy, Grace, Andrew, Julia and Max appreciated the autonomy of university study. Arts students Grace and Andrew both preferred studying at university over studying at high school. Grace felt she was “making up for” bad habits at high school, while Andrew felt as if he were finally “doing something”.
In high school I hated studying, so I find it really strange. I figure I’m making up for what I didn’t do in high school. (Grace − DoTS)
I did uni pretty well actually. I kind of preferred it to high school. Because, for one, I felt like I was doing something. With high school, it’s kind of like what you have to do. We were there because we had to be. At uni, it was where I wanted to be. (Andrew − DoTS)

Similarly, Julia and Max had no trouble taking control of their learning. Education student Julia viewed her learning as an opportunity, while Arts student Max found his own progress “inspiring”.
I can’t believe people don’t hand work in because that’s just beyond me. I just think why would you not even give yourself a chance? When I saw the mark for attendance, I thought I’m going to make sure I attend every class because that’s marks I can count on and I would never not hand anything in because every mark is another step closer. (Julia − DoTS)
It’s all on yourself. You’re responsible for failing. You’re responsible for doing your assignments. You’re responsible for passing. You’re responsible for your grades. There’s no one pushing you along. It’s inspiring to think that you’re controlling your own learning. (Max − DoTS)

Having the right attitude to study is important for success. Regarding themselves as serious, responsible and goal-oriented students, some former pathways students were openly critical of their peers who did not share the same “right attitude” to study. Andrew and Rachel were both critical of students who aim for a minimum pass, regarding them to be “unmotivated”.
I come across a lot of unmotivated students who are like, “I’m just here to get a pass and get my degree and get out.” (Andrew − DoTS)
I actually find a lot of people are only motivated to get that pass score. They are not that motivated to go the extra mile. (Rachel − DoTS)

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Like them, Jenna regarded some of the other students as having the wrong attitude for studying. Describing their attitudes as “very lazy” and “very blas”, Jenna contrasted her own willingness to learn and to put in effort with their lack of motivation and poor attitudes.
There are definitely some students who are very lazy in their attitude. They don’t go to classes. They don’t do the reading. They have a very blasé attitude and I find that very frustrating because I’m here to learn and I put in the time and effort.
(Jenna − DoTS)

Some former DoTS students went further and linked inappropriate attitudes to failure. Nursing student Kendall and Arts student Chloe reflected on the attitudes of other students in their classes who had previously failed. Kendall observed they “party every weekend”, while Chloe suggests “they don’t even care”.
The people that party every weekend and every night are still in the first year and the people that actually try are in the third year. Just in my course, you look around and she’s failed, she’s failed, she’s failed too. That’s another reason why I wanted to study when I was older because I wanted to get all the partying and all that out of the way, then start my career. (Kendall − DoTS)
A few people in my classes, I just think, “Can you be serious?” because they’ve failed a lot and they don’t seem to care. There’s a lot that are committed, but then there’s a fair few that I think, “Gee, why are you even here? It’s costing you so much money to keep doing failed subjects.” (Chloe − DoTS)

Similarly, Business student Pip linked attitude to failure. Pip recalled occasionally feeling surprised that a student who had a record of failure could change their attitude and start “buckling down and paying attention”.
I’m still surprised that some people are still here. A couple of people have surprised me. Like, “Wow! Why are you still here? You’re just acting like hee hee hee
I’m cool,” you know, a jock student. But then you see them actually buckling down and paying attention and you think, “Oh well, they might actually want to be here.” (Pip − DoTS)

Excessive partying can be a problem for students hoping to succeed with university study. Kefilwe and Sammy raised the issue of partying among other students as a problem when it becomes out of control and negatively affects those students’ abilities to complete their work. For Kefilwe, excessive partying was an indicator of an underlying social or emotional issue that prevents a student from continuing with university study. For Sammy, excessive partying is an indicator of a lack of discipline and commitment in other students.

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There are some students who lose their way, but under most circumstances those kids are suffering from some form of depression or frustration and they’re just not getting help. So they try to compensate with fun activities to sort of forget about what they’re going through. Even if you try to get them help sometimes they don’t listen or sometimes they feel like you’re judging them. So it can be problematic.
But it is so sad to see somebody just get kicked out. (Kefilwe − MSAFP)
Other people go to parties and they have a hangover the whole weekend. Then you meet them on Monday morning and they’re like, “For that class are we sup-

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posed to be doing anything?” I’m like, “Yes. We’re supposed to have done this and this and this” and they’re like, “Can I have your questions?” or “Can I have your answer sheet, so I can also get some ideas?” So I think I’m well-disciplined.
(Sammy − MSAFP)

Like their MSAFP peers, some former DoTS students also regarded excessive partying to be a problem for university study. Nursing student Kendall related excessive partying to immaturity and a lack of responsibility among other students.
I probably sound really nasty, but a lot of the people in my course, they’re still 19,
20, 21 and they still want to go out every weekend and party. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a nanna. I party as well. I still love going out, but when I’m a nurse I’m not going to be able to do that. Because they’re still that age, they’re going to want to do that, if you know what I mean. (Kendall − DoTS)

Taking responsibility for learning is a challenge commencing university students face. Becoming an independent learner involves becoming self-motivated, selfdisciplined, and self-directed. Focusing on studying rather than a social life and becoming self-disciplined are important to develop the right attitude. Avoiding procrastination and taking control of one’s studies are indicative of a student with the right attitude. Having the right attitude to study is the key to completing the work and becoming successful at university.

A new type of learning
Learning at university is independent but involves attending lectures and tutorials as well as participating in online discussions with classmates and completing set weekly readings. University classes, such as lectures and tutorials, are different to classes students are familiar with from secondary school, vocational college, or even training in the workplace. Commencing students recognise that university classes are different but they may be unaware of the new methods of learning required (Barron & D’Annunzio-Green, 2009; Brinkworth et al., 2009;
Leese, 2010; Yorke & Longden, 2008). DoTS graduate Anna reflected on her expectations and experiences to reveal that, although she was aware of different types of university classes, she actually “didn’t know anything about them” prior to attending a lecture and a tutorial.
I already knew there were going to be lectures, but the way that they’re run, it’s hard to explain. Tutorials, I didn’t know anything about them, until I went to my first one and I probably still didn’t know what they were. Uni classes are different.
(Anna − DoTS)

Understanding different types of university classes is important for effective study, but attending class is crucial for learning. DoTS graduates Kirsty and
Melinda found going to classes was easy and enjoyable.
Attending classes was easy, because coming straight from school, you’re used to that structure. (Kirsty − DoTS)

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I really do enjoy it when I’m learning about things that I’m interested in. I enjoy all of my Nursing subjects. I go to all of my lectures. (Melinda − DoTS)

Like them, Negina enjoyed class. For Negina, attendance was “important” not only to access useful information and understand a topic “more deeply”, but also to have an opportunity to ask questions and resolve problems.
It is important to attend, because sometimes in the lecture they give you extra notes. I didn’t attend lectures in Psychology last semester [in my second year] and when I got the result, it wasn’t a really good result. I knew it was because of the lectures. You get more information in the lecture. Tutorials can help you know more about lectures. In the tutorials you study more about the topic, more deeply.
You go through it and when we have problems, we ask questions. (Negina −
DoTS)

Like Negina, Denise found tutorials helpful in understanding lecture materials.
For Denise, the interactive learning in tutorials was more enjoyable than listening in lectures.
Some of the lectures drove me to tears. They were so boring. But the tutorials I enjoyed because they were interactive and you could have a say. (Denise − DoTS)

Besides an interactive learning environment, tutorials can help students build confidence to speak up and develop competence in verbal expression. Anna highlighted that peer support encourages learning and can help a student feel
“more comfortable” about participating.
For me, personally, I remember coming out of my shell and feeling more comfortable speaking, especially in the DoTS programme [core units] compared to my other [degree level elective] units. I felt like I was, I guess, on par with everyone else. (Anna − DoTS)

Yet, the interactive learning of tutorials can also be demanding. Scarlett pointed out that actively participating in tutorials can be draining and cause an information overload, especially in the afternoons after a full day of classes.
The hardest thing was tutes at the end of the day. Like Tuesday afternoon was a
DoTS tute. My brain was mush and my ears were bleeding and I just didn’t want to think. (Scarlett − DoTS)

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Besides new types of classes at university, commencing students also have new types of teachers. Adjusting to university teaching methods also involves adjusting to university teachers. While students at secondary school depend on their teachers to direct their study on a daily, if not hourly, basis, at universities students rely on their teachers as a resource generally on a weekly basis. Students will experience reduced hours of face-to-face interaction at university compared to secondary school. In the UK, for example, the vast majority (86%) of first year undergraduates in History at the University of Nottingham recognised the influence of the teacher in secondary school, with 77% considering learning from the teacher more important than learning from reading or note-taking, and 15% con-

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sidering learning from the teacher more important than learning from class discussions (Booth, 1997: 212).
At university, however, students are required to rely on reading, note-taking, and class discussions more than on the teacher. In Australia, first year students at Macquarie University reported that their tutors simply provided guidelines and instruction sheets for the format and structure of written assignments and left the students to complete the assessment tasks on their own time. No direct assistance was provided unless the student requested help (Plum, 1999:
244−245). Also, in New Zealand, surveys of almost 2000 first year students at the
University of Otago found that some tutors left students unassisted in group work, did not establish personal connections in tutorials and, in some cases, did not know their students’ names (Van der Meer, 2009: 114).
In contrast, former MSAFP and DoTS pathway students’ experiences of interacting with university lecturers and tutors were positive. Sammy and Kefilwe highlighted that lecturers in the pathway programme were not only very supportive but also very approachable. For Sammy, lecturers were “all so friendly”, while Kefilwe found them to be very approachable and generous with their time.
The easiest thing was getting used to the lecturers because they were all so friendly. I always thought that university lecturers were going to be these stern, nasty people. But I came here and had quite friendly lecturers. They were all friendly and approachable. (Sammy − MSAFP)
In terms of the teachers, you find that a lot of the time if they have consultation times and you don’t make it during that hour, you can actually go to their office and just ask to see them for ten minutes. They can actually offer you an hour of their time and sit through whatever it is you need assistance with. They’ll be taking up their own time, not bothering that they actually have something else to do in that time, but putting you first. (Kefilwe − MSAFP)

Further, Anesu found lectures to be more useful than he had assumed they would be. Before attending lectures, Anesu had incorrectly assumed classes would be “too full” and that “lecturers wouldn’t have time” to engage with students. Also, Anesu incorrectly assumed students would be left unsupported to learn without advice or guidance.
The lectures were my main concern. I thought they would be too full and the lecturers wouldn’t have time for us, like you watch on TV. The lecturer just comes, they write on their little board, there’s people sitting on the floor, and after that if you don’t get the notes and you don’t get it, that’s your problem. (Anesu −
MSAFP)

In contrast to lecturers in preparatory pathway programmes, lecturers and tutors in degree programmes were regarded by some former pathways students to be less approachable. But even though university lecturers and tutors do not spend as long in class with students each week, they are not less approachable or less supportive than secondary teachers. In South Africa, focus-group interviews with former students of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Foundation Programme, a programme that commenced in 1999 and offers guaranteed entry to

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degree study across all academic disciplines, revealed that the interactions between lecturers and students have a positive influence on students’ academic performance. These former pathways students found their lecturers, unlike degree lecturers, to be very approachable. Lecturers mentored and supported the pathways students to enhance their emotional, academic and social success at university. As a result, students developed self-knowledge, self-worth, self- management, communication skills and positive attitudes (Wood & Lithauer, 2005:
1003, 1010−1012).
Likewise, in the US, a foundational dimension of first year programmes includes prioritising lecturer contact with students to maximise the impact on their cognitive, psychosocial and attitudinal development (Reason, Terenzini &
Domingo, 2006: 151). The educational influence of lecturers and tutors in the US on their students was enhanced when contacts extended to informal non-classroom settings (Bradley, Kish, Krudwig, Williams & Wooden, 2002: 73). In the
UK, relationships with engaged teaching staff were also stressed. Low SES students at the University of Staffordshire reported feeling respected by their teacher when the teacher knew their names. Further, the students felt comfortable to ask questions and seek advice in resolving issues if the teacher seemed approachable and if they felt they had a personalised relationship with the teacher (Thomas, 2002: 432−433). At one UK university, a “community of practice” for commencing mature-aged students was established to facilitate their transition to university (O’Donnell & Tobbell, 2007).
In Australia, programmes that enhance first year students’ experiences of university study take a proactive approach to personal contact between a lecturer and at-risk students. An Australian study found that when students in an at-risk group were contacted by a lecturer, their academic achievement and persistence with university study improved significantly, with more than twice the rate of unit completions than other at-risk students who were not contacted (Nelson,
Duncan & Clarke, 2009). Similarly, one regional Australian university established a formal learning community centring on academic problem solving and catering to commencing mature-aged students and lecturers (Henderson et al., 2009).
Former DoTS students concurrently experienced pathways lecturers in their core units and degree lecturers in their elective units. DoTS graduate Tina was active in seeking advice from her lecturers but “felt horrible” doing so. More concerning, other students attempted to discourage her from seeking advice from her lecturers.
I sought out my lecturers and harassed them, and I felt horrible every time I did it because I never saw other students doing it. I’d tell them, “Just go and see the lecturer,” and they’d be like, “Oh you don’t do that!” I sort of thought, “Oh, don’t you? Well, I’ll do it until someone tells me not to.” That helped me a lot. (Tina −
DoTS)

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Other former DoTS students were critical of the lecturers in the degree-level elective units they took during the DoTS pathway. Julia and Rachel were highly critical of some of the lecturers with whom they studied. Julia criticised the attitude of one lecturer who “didn’t know any of the girls’ names.”

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I think in one [first year] class in first semester last year, the lecturer would not have known my name. I felt he was very interested in the males in the class and he knew all of them by nickname, but he didn’t know any of the girls’ names. I didn’t enjoy that class. I was glad to get through it. I am glad that one’s finished.
(Julia − DoTS)

Further, Julia reflected on the impact on students of the structural arrangements and staff workloads in the department which left her not knowing which lecturer was running her tutorial.
One subject in particular we had five lecturers over the ten classes. So when we went to pick up our assignments, they were like, “Well, who takes your tute?” and
I said “I don’t know” because they kept changing. I found that really difficult.
(Julia − DoTS)

Rachel was also highly critical of some of the lecturers in her degree-level elective units. Rachel highlighted a mismatch between her expectations and her experiences of a lecturer’s ability not only to teach but also to entertain students.
We’ve had some real dud lecturers, people that stop and start so you get so bored you forget what they are talking about. Like fair enough some of it should come back on us so we should listen, but what if we’re already in a boring subject we don’t want to be in and the lecturer is boring? (Rachel − DoTS)

Rachel regarded a lecturer’s classroom performance to be a crucial factor in her academic engagement and motivation to study. Further elaborating on a lecturer’s performance, Rachel pointed out that when a lecturer did not give extra information in class and only relied on “exactly what’s on the lecture slides”, she became unmotivated to take notes and attend the class.
You find some lecturers say exactly what’s on the lecture slides anyway, so you don’t take notes. I didn’t even rock up to one [second year] lecture this year because all he did was just say exactly what’s on the lecture slides. (Rachel − DoTS)

The issues Rachel raises are symptoms of a trend in contemporary universities that has been labelled “bullet point culture” (Brabazon, 2002). An increasing use of technology to assist learning has in fact displaced learning as students grow increasingly dependent on technology and increasingly reluctant to commit time and effort to studying. Technology then becomes coupled with an expectation that lecturers become entertainers to overcome student reluctance to develop effective learning techniques and adjust to new methods of teaching at university.
Interestingly, Brabazon’s (2002) “bullet point culture” argument is something
Rachel had studied in the core unit of the DoTS pathway.
One further issue Rachel raised was an expectation centring on the subjectivity of lecturers. Rachel expressed a view that she felt a lecturer might be biased in marking her written work if she was not “nice to them”.
You’re really only with them for twelve weeks and only some of the lecturers will be reoccurring. You might have them in your first year and you might have them in your fourth year. You’ve got to be nice to them because they do learn your name, then they mark your assignments. (Rachel − DoTS)

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For former pathways students, the influence of a student’s engagement with an individual lecturer can be significant. But having experienced additional support from lecturers and a continuity of staff in a pathway programme, former pathways students may have unrealistic expectations concerning the roles of lecturers in degree courses. Pathways students’ expectations that degree lecturers are available to them personally, even when they are teaching units with large enrolments, underpin their claims that an individual relationship with a lecturer matters. However, they tend to view engagement with lecturers as an added dimension that either makes study easier or harder. Nyaradzo and Chitalu highlighted the influence of lecturers on their studies. Nyaradzo pointed out that the lecturing style influences persistence both positively and negatively, while Chitalu pointed out that having respect for lecturers can help a student learn.
There are some classes that I really look forward to. There are some classes where the lecturer just talks on and on and on and I just feel like getting out, but I sit in anyway because I have to. (Nyaradzo − MSAFP)
You need self-discipline, determination and, really, respect for others and your lecturers, because if you don’t have respect for your lecturers and your tutors you really won’t do well. You will be undermining them. You’ll think you know better when you don’t. I really paid attention. (Chitalu − MSAFP)

Further, Chitalu revealed that when the teaching is effective, learning becomes enjoyable. I love computer programming. I think it was the way it was taught. The lecturer is very good and she teaches very well. (Chitalu − MSAFP)

Similarly, former DoTS students highlighted the influence of lecturers on their studies. Max pointed out that a poor engagement with a lecturer can make studying “a lot harder”, while Daniel pointed out that if the relationship with a lecturer is poor, learning is less enjoyable.
If you don’t engage with the lecturer really well, it becomes a lot harder. (Max −
DoTS)
There are subjects that I don’t enjoy that much, but usually that’s because of the relationship with the lecturer or tutor. That’s been one of the hardest things for me, dealing with boring lecturers. (Daniel − DoTS)

However, while it may make studying less enjoyable, dealing with a “boring” lecturer at university is an issue students frequently encounter. Daniel outlined the useful strategy of forming an informal peer study group amongst classmates in order to enhance learning.

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If your lecturer cannot give you the stimulation that you need to be able to succeed in the subject, then group up, find a bunch of other people in the tute who think the same way you do, and make a study group. If you get together with other people who are passionate about the topic, you can whinge about the lecturer if you want, but those are the people who will motivate you to do better than if you were just trying to struggle through a boring class on your own.
(Daniel − DoTS)

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University study involves learning in new types of classes with new types of teachers. While some types of classes, such as lectures, are focused on information transmission, other classes, such as tutorials, are more interactive. While some individual lecturers may seem dull in class, many lecturers and tutors are very supportive and generous in helping new students. Yet, while the environment influences a student’s learning, it remains the student’s responsibility to learn. Lectures
Despite voicing criticisms about some lecturers, university students regard lectures to be an essential learning tool. Attending class is directly connected to passing. University students in Australia were more likely to persist with university study if they invested time, regularly attended class and engaged with online resources, while they were more likely to drop out if they were socially isolated, did not have a vocational purpose, infrequently attended class or used online resources (Wilson, 2009: 4−5). In South Africa, first year Economics students at the
Durban Institute of Technology who did not regularly attend their lectures failed their unit. Additionally, more than half the students who questioned the value of lectures also failed the unit (Van der Merwe, 2006: 156). Similarly, in the UK, a survey of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, in a student induction programme at Southampton Institute, found a high correlation between attendance and successful exam performance (Laing, Robinson & Johnston, 2005: 251).
Former pathways students recognised the value of lectures for learning vast amounts of material in a contextualised and organised way. Pip and Vaughan relied on lectures to learn. For Pip, face-to-face classes assisted her to learn through “seeing and hearing”, while for Vaughan, although lectures may not be an ideal learning tool for many students, students “miss out on” so much additional information “by not going to lectures”.
I don’t have that much confidence that I would actually be able to do it without going to classes, because that’s how I learn. I learn by seeing and hearing. That’s because I don’t do that much learning outside of my classes, so if I didn’t have my classes, I wouldn’t do anything. I definitely have to have the face to face. (Pip −
DoTS)
A lot of people are like, “I don’t learn by lectures. It’s not the way I learn.” Okay.
Fair enough. But so much stuff that’s said in lectures isn’t on the lecture notes, whether it’s relevant or just a funny story, there’s so much you miss out on by not going to lectures. I mean how much can you learn off dot points on a piece of paper? With lectures, at least I get something out of it, regardless of whether I half switch off or sit there taking notes. (Vaughan − DoTS)

Attending class is clearly a benefit to learning at university. Former DoTS students offered a range of opinions about the mode of study and outlined a number of advantages and disadvantages of attending lectures in person and listening to lectures online. Rachel, Max and Therese compared face-to-face lectures

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with listening to a lecture recording. School leaver Rachel, who was very critical of her lecturer’s performances, found listening to lectures online “useful” but had difficulty maintaining the focus to listen, while school leaver Max regarded lecture recordings to be “alright” but not as effective as “talking to the lecturer”
For a while I listened to one. It was useful. You don’t have to go to uni and you can put that subject aside and focus on the assignment. I find that’s a lot easier when they are online. But some of my lecturers, just their voice makes you not want to listen, so if you are listening to it on the podcast, you just don’t want to listen. You just go and do something else. I suppose in that respect it’s horrible.
(Rachel − DoTS)
I have a couple of times listened to audio lectures. It’s alright, but I’m a really visual learner, I think, and I have to elaborate, so talking to the lecturer is good.
(Max − DoTS)

Similarly, other former DoTS students also struggled to maximise opportunities to learn using downloadable lecture recordings. Negina and Grace found concentration difficult when listening online. Education student Negina found online lectures were “really hard” and “really boring” in contrast to face-to-face learning, while Arts student Grace found listening online was “really monotonous” and that, if she was not concentrating effectively, it became very time consuming.
The online lectures are okay, but sometimes it can be really hard. I did one yesterday for [second year] Psychology and I went halfway through, but then I was like,
“That’s enough!” So I just stopped it. That’s why I’m making myself go to lectures instead of listening online, because I find it really boring. Face-to-face you learn better and you remember it. (Negina − DoTS)
Sometimes I podcast when I’ve been away or they’ve not run the class due to the teacher being away or something. For most subjects it’s okay, but with some people it’s really monotonous. Then I’ll stop-start it all the time, so it takes a lot longer than the actual length of the lecture. I find it better to actually go to the lecture, because you might have a question in the lecture and you can ask it then and there. (Grace − DoTS)

Nursing student Kendall had a different reason for attending face-to-face classes rather than listening online as she recognised a risk that she “would never listen”.
We’ve got the option to podcast, but I just go to the lecture. I think if I took that option I would never listen to it. I like going to the lecture because otherwise I wouldn’t listen. (Kendall − DoTS)

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For on-campus students, lecture recordings are a useful supplementary study tool. Julia and Vaughan regard downloadable lecture recordings to be an additional resource. For Julia, podcasting lectures was “fine” but face-to-face lectures are more useful when students are “really struggling” with an issue.
If you’ve got something you’re really struggling with, and you’re in the class, you can say, “Well I don’t understand that,” or, “Can you explain that?” But online you

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don’t have that. I find the face-to-face [classes] really important. There are things you get out of a lecture that you don’t get online. I did podcast for one class. That was fine, but I think definitely you need to go into the class because there are things that come up in the class, they may not be planned, but are still important, like discussions and things. (Julia − DoTS)

Like Julia, Vaughan, who attended all his face-to-face classes, points out that lecture recordings are a useful supplementary resource for exam revision.
If I’ve missed a lecture that I thought was important, I download it, especially for
Science. They had recorded their lectures and I downloaded them to study for the exam. I attended them all the time anyway. (Vaughan − DoTS)

In contrast, mature-aged student Therese regarded listening online to be no different to attending a lecture in person.
I downloaded lectures when I did History off campus. I don’t think it makes any difference really. You’ve still got to study. (Therese − DoTS)

The flexibility of online learning is a benefit for many students. For commuter students driving between 40 and 90 minutes each direction to campus, downloadable lecture recordings save time. Kirsty, Sorcha and Phoenix found listening to lectures online rather than attending face-to-face classes provided additional time for reading and other studying. For, school leaver Kirsty, listening to lectures online reduced the days she was driving to campus which not only provided time for other studies but also reduced petrol costs.
I didn’t attend lectures but listened to them online. It was good, especially if that was all I had on for that whole day, because I would have to drive for 40 minutes to go to a one-hour lecture and then come home. It was good to be able to listen to it on the computer. I did that about 80% of the time. (Kirsty − DoTS)

Like Kirsty, mature-aged student Sorcha found listening to lectures online saved her time. Faced with a two-hour round trip to campus to attend a one-hour lecture, Sorcha found downloadable lecture recordings “very helpful” for time management.
The podcast was very helpful. As much as I wanted to be there in person, I had to manage weighing up driving two hours, like sitting in the car for two hours, to turn up for one hour of lectures. It just doesn’t justify it. As much as I want to be there physically, I’m better off sitting at home and listening to that for an hour, doing the readings and things like that. To manage my time better, that’s what I did. (Sorcha − DoTS)

Like Sorcha, Phoenix commuted a long distance to the campus. For Phoenix, while she had long intended to use her driving time more productively by listening to downloaded lectures, finding time to actually download the recordings was “hard”.
I didn’t podcast until last semester [in my second year]. What I had planned to do, but I just didn’t have any time, was to download all the audio and stuff and put it

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on my ipod. Then when I would drive down, I didn’t see it as such a waste of time. But it was hard trying to find the time to download them to put them on the ipod. (Phoenix − DoTS)

However, Sorcha and Phoenix also highlighted that listening to lectures online may not be as effective as learning in a face-to-face class. Both had tried studying a unit by -Distance -Education with little success. For Sorcha, studying in offcampus mode was “very dry” in contrast to the “interaction” of on-campus mode, and Phoenix found studying off campus “difficult” as it was “so easy to fall behind”.
I started to do one unit by -Distance -Education, but I just found that without that interaction, it’s very dry. (Sorcha − DoTS)
In my second year, I did one unit off campus and I found it really difficult because it was so easy to fall behind. It was ridiculously easy. With the lectures I went to
[for on-campus units], it was in my mind physically. I could picture the lecturer talking and I could remember the details, the handout she gave me, and everything like that. To go online, the textbook would be sitting there, but I would just forget that subject. So I found doing it off campus for the first time was really difficult. (Phoenix − DoTS)

In contrast to studying by -Distance -Education, both enjoyed the interaction of face-to-face classes. For Sorcha, “real learning” involves face-to-face learning and students “can’t do that with a computer”. For Phoenix, “it’s way more beneficial” to attend lectures in person to be “mentally there” and “paying attention”.
I think when it comes down to real learning, face-to-face is most important. If I wanted to do online all the time then I might as well just do -Distance -Education.
I still think Vygotsky, the ZPD thing, is most important, you know, to have someone who knows more to show you the way and you can’t do that with a computer. (Sorcha − DoTS)
I do find it’s way more beneficial if you actually go to the lectures. I know they say that all the time and it is true. I’m a very visual person as well, so it’s hard for me to listen to things and picture what they’re saying and how their body language is and everything. So when I actually go to a lecture, I’m physically there and I’m mentally there as well. I am paying attention. (Phoenix − DoTS)

While downloadable lecture recordings provide students with more flexibility, particularly if they are commuting long distances to the campus, concentration remains a challenge for former pathways students accustomed to learning on campus when they listen to lectures online. Listening to lectures online may also be a useful supplementary resource to assist students to keep up to date as well as in preparing for exam revision.

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Lecture notes
Note-taking is a valuable tool for learning from lectures. In South Africa, first year Economics students at the Durban Institute of Technology regarded face-toface classes, including lectures and tutorials, as the most valuable methods of

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learning, with reading and note-taking judged the next most valuable (Van der
Merwe, 2006: 156). Taking effective notes is a skill that all students need to develop if they are to learn from lectures. In the UK, History students at the University of Nottingham reported they felt most confident about note-taking
(Booth, 1997: 208). Further, across five major UK universities students in a preparatory pathways programme and school leavers in degree-level study felt confident taking notes, with a third (34%) feeling well prepared and a further half (52%) feeling adequately prepared (Smith, 2004: 84).
Former pathways students stressed the value of lecture notes for learning.
Negina and Daniel found taking notes in lectures useful. Negina used note-taking to remember information from lectures, while Daniel used note-taking to stay focused.
Notes help me to remember. I forget things quickly, so I just write notes. (Negina
− DoTS)
A lecturer speaking in a monotone will put you to sleep, regardless of what they’re telling you about. I started writing lecture notes to keep myself awake and focused on what was being said, so that I could take in some of the stuff instead of getting drowsy. (Daniel − DoTS)

Like Negina and Daniel, Barbara and Sorcha, who were both mature-aged students, found taking notes in lectures useful to work out “what they were talking about”. While Barbara found note-taking helped “keeping track of the thread”,
Sorcha found preparation prior to a lecture helped note-taking.
That was probably another thing that I found difficult, keeping track of the thread that some of the lecturers were talking about. In a two-hour lecture, there was just so much information thrown at you. I used to take notes in the lectures. That was the only way I could get any kind of sense out of what they were talking about.
Something that took me ages to work out was about how the topics are interrelated. (Barbara − DoTS)
I would download the slides, have them printed and make sure I’d actually done the readings beforehand, because then I’d know what they’re talking about. The preparation prior to the lecture, that’s a norm. To me, it’s my advantage for having done the groundwork. Preparation does help. (Sorcha − DoTS)

Learning how to take effective notes in lectures is difficult. Rachel and Jenna pointed out that developing a system of note-taking is an individual process. For
Rachel, taking notes “was hard at first” but soon “just comes naturally”. For
Jenna, abandoning a process of “frantically writing” for a process of selectively and systematically typing notes directly took some time to “work out”.
It all comes so naturally now, but the note-taking was hard at first. Someone is standing up there and you’re listening. The moment you take your eyes off them, you stop listening because you’re trying to think. You hear this one good sentence and you’re like, “Okay, so where does that fit into my notes” and then you forget the second half of the sentence, so you’re just left with this nonsense sentence.
That was hard, but it just comes naturally now. (Rachel − DoTS)
I keep changing my method of note-taking. I think, when I used to write out my notes, I’d tend to just write out what was on the slides anyway. Then I would miss

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out on what the lecturer was actually saying. Now I type all of my notes straight onto the lecture slides so I can add the additional stuff rather than frantically writing whatever was up there. I think it’s a process that you have to work out for yourself. (Jenna − DoTS)

When a lecturer provides copies of lecture slides or summaries to students, there may be a temptation not to take notes. Meg and Grace pointed out that note-taking is part of learning. For Meg, taking notes helped her learn by helping her interpret and express ideas in her own words. For Grace, taking notes helped her remember the key points.
I like to write things down in my own way. So the lecturer can say something, but
I’ll interpret it and write it down in my own way so I’ll remember what they’ve said. If you’re just sitting there, what are you learning? You might as well just go to the movies. I don’t feel like I’m learning unless I’m taking it in myself. I know some people print off the lecture slides and you can sit there and read that, but what’s the point unless you’re taking notes on there as well? You’re not learning anything new. You’re just reading words. (Meg − DoTS)
I don’t think I’d remember anything the lecturer had said if I didn’t take notes. If they’ve got PowerPoints, then I can print them out and bring that with me and just make little notes. I don’t need to write copious things if I’ve got the lecture slides.
But some subjects don’t put PowerPoint slides up. So I just listen to when they are making key points. (Grace − DoTS)

Like Meg and Grace, Lindy and Melinda found note-taking useful in understanding the content of the lectures. Lindy found note-taking assisted her to “find everything in the slides”, while Melinda found note-taking enabled her to “make the most” of lectures.
You do it on your own, even though they put slides on, it’s your duty or your responsibility to find everything in the slides that you need. (Lindy − MSAFP)
What’s the point of sitting in the lecture if you really don’t know what they’re talking about? It’s a waste of two hours that I could be spending doing something much more productive or working and getting paid for it. So if I don’t make the most of my time, then that’s me who is missing out. (Melinda − DoTS)

Former pathways students reiterated that to learn how to take notes in lectures is difficult. While note-taking enabled Melinda to maximise her learning in lectures, she admited having to practise to “decipher” her own notes.

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In lectures, there’s a lot of information all at once and if you’ve had no practice, it’s hard. I found that quite often with the notes I was taking, I’d go back and look at them at revision time, and think, “What on earth does that mean?” I’d scribbled something in illegible handwriting and I don’t understand how it was ever helpful.
Later, when I started rereading my notes as a study tool within the week, I’d be able to rewrite it in nice neat writing and I’d sort of decipher what I was scribbling down at the time. (Melinda − DoTS)

Like Melinda, Tina had to learn how to take notes through practising until she developed an effective way to “get the important things” written down.

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For the first couple of lectures, I had no idea. I was just trying to write lots of things. What I ended up doing for some lectures, was I’d read the tutorial notes and sort of get some gist of where they were heading. I’d try to make some brief headings if they didn’t have the PowerPoint slides and just try to get the important things. Whenever I’d go, “Oh,” that’s when I would write it down. (Tina − DoTS)

Interestingly, mature-aged student Tina was the only former pathways student who expressly commented on the lecturer’s role as helping her put the readings into context with the lecture materials.
The best thing ever was when they put the lectures notes on Blackboard and could write the examples on slides. That really helped me. I’d done all the reading too so I was there for the lecturer to help me put all of that into context. That was what I was after. (Tina − DoTS)

Lecture notes are essential to understanding readings and other course materials in order for students to pass assignments and exams. Learning to take effective notes in lectures involves an individual process for each student to work out a note-taking system in their own way.

Tutorials
Active discussions and debates between classmates in tutorials are among the most valuable methods for teaching and learning at university. In the UK, half
(50%) of the first year English students surveyed across five major universities found discussion in small seminar classes to be the most valuable teaching method, while a third (33%) of the students found all face-to-face methods of teaching equally valuable (Smith, 2004: 85). Tutorial discussions are valuable for developing cognitive engagement and verbal proficiency. Cognitive engagement enables students to invest in their studies through exerting effort to develop mastery of the required skills and knowledge. Students are able to enhance cognitive engagement through debating, critiquing and discussing ideas in class and with their peers (Fredericks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004: 77; see also Ballard &
Clanchy, 1988; Bizzell, 1986). Expressing ideas, in verbal or written form, has been an effective method of developing mastery of thinking skills since Plato’s
Academy (Taylor, 1988: 53). Developing verbal proficiency in tutorial discussions directly correlates to a student’s success in producing appropriate written work for assessment (Archer et al., 1999: 45). Besides this, tutorials are also a useful forum to seek advice and clarify understanding.
Former pathways students emphasised the value of tutorials for learning. Meg found tutorials were “the most important part of uni” because they provided an opportunity to have “things explained”.
It all happens in the tutes. Tutes are very important. You can’t skip tutes. It’s where you get all those vital bits of info you don’t get from the lectures. They explain the lectures and the readings in there. It just makes it so much easier. I don’t think I’ve ever missed a tute unless I’ve been really sick. I think they are the most important part of uni, because you get so many other perspectives and you get things explained in words you understand. (Meg − DoTS)

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Like Meg, Lebogang and Grace emphasised the value of tutorials for learning.
For Lebogang, “discussing things” with peers assists everyone to understand while for Grace, without tutorials “everyone would be lost”.
It’s for discussing things that I really don’t understand and telling others, or briefing them, on some of the things that they don’t understand that I do understand.
(Lebogang − MSAFP)
I think tutes are vital. I think everyone would be lost if we didn’t have them. If I haven’t understood a concept in the lecture, I have the opportunity to go to the tute and talk about it, so I have a better understanding. (Grace − DoTS)

As for lectures, some students are critical of tutorials. Kendall and Therese, both mature-aged students who returned to study from the workforce, regarded the usefulness of tutorials as varying. Kendall determined if a tutorial was “useful or not” before committing to participating in the class, while Therese’s decision to attend a class depended on the individual tutor as well as the other students in the class.
Some tutes are useful, but some are just a waste of time. You find out in the first few weeks of class whether it’s useful or not. If it’s a useful class I go all the time.
If it’s a waste, then generally I don’t go. It depends if it’s compulsory or not, too.
(Kendall − DoTS)
I still do my readings, as dorky as that sounds. I often miss tutorials. I think tutorials can be a waste of time. It depends on the tutor and it depends on the students.
(Therese − DoTS)

Preparing for tutorials is essential for learning in class. Nyaradzo and Simon both stressed the advantages of preparing for tutorial discussions. Nyaradzo found tutorials motivated her to keep up to date with her reading which in turn helped her to answer questions in class. Similarly, Simon used tutorial preparation to help increase his participation and learning in class.
I like having tutorials because they make me read for that particular topic. I do the readings before the tutorials because they can just point to you to answer a question. If you’re blank then it can show that you haven’t been doing the reading. So
I definitely read before the tutorials. (Nyaradzo − MSAFP)
I found that, for me, if I could develop an answer for at least a few questions, even if I couldn’t understand all of them, every time there was an opportunity to talk for one of the easier ones I knew I would jump into it. Then the tutor would go, “Well you’re talking lots in class, so I’m not going to ask you for the hard ones. I’m going to ask someone who hasn’t talked.” So then I’d find out the answers for the harder ones that I didn’t know and I could write that down. That’s how I learnt it. (Simon − DoTS

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Tutorial participation and class discussion are among the most beneficial learning tools for developing an understanding of course materials. Julia, Therese and
Lisa emphasised that active participation in class enables learning. Julia suggested that to “put yourself into the class” helps develop understanding, while
Therese pointed out that students are “forced to be more interactive” in tutorials

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if they intend to demonstrate their engagement to the tutor.
I just think you need to participate and put yourself into the class. That’s worked for me. The discussion is such an important part of it. It really is, because even with our readings, sometimes I think I understand and then we get into class and talk about it and I’d get a different understanding. I think that’s really important.
(Julia − DoTS)
In tutes, I know some students never speak up, but in some ways, you’re forced to be more interactive. It would be obvious, I’m sure, to tutors who does the work and who doesn’t. (Therese − DoTS)

Like them, Lisa regarded tutorials to be about “talking and discussing and asking questions” with the tutor and other students.
In tutes, that’s what it is about, talking and discussing and asking questions and everything. It makes you understand everything better because you can talk about it. You don’t have to talk just to the teacher. You can ask other people. (Lisa −
DoTS)

Similarly, other former DoTS students stressed the advantages of active tutorial participation and regarded tutorials to be a stimulating and enjoyable learning experience. Sorcha enjoyed becoming “open to a different view”, Serena enjoyed having the readings “come to life” in discussions, and Rachel enjoyed that
“everybody got something out of it”.
I love the tutorials. I just find the group dynamic and the discussion very stimulating and just to open up a different view, a perspective, things like that. It’s good because when you have a group discussion, it makes you think. Whether it’s directly in that moment or whilst you’re driving or doing something else, you think.
(Sorcha − DoTS)
I prefer tutorials. I like the lecture and the tutorials, but the tutorials are probably the best part. I like how everyone discusses the readings. It’s interesting. Everyone talks about their opinions. The readings are interesting and they come to life. (Serena −DoTS)
I found in DoTS tutes, we were always discussing things and the whole class would talk and everybody got something out of it. Sometimes we went off track but we were still learning. (Rachel − DoTS)

Stimulating discussion is not the only purpose of a tutorial. Jean-Paul stressed that a student who actively participates in class discussions is “a lot more likely to remember it” and Simon explained that tutorial discussions helped him to
“tackle essay questions”.
It’s a lot easier if you put in your own ideas and that also helps you to remember things. If you’ve ever had to say something, you’re a lot more likely to remember it than if you just listen to a group of people talking, or a lecturer talking at you or something. (Jean-Paul − DoTS)
The readings help, the lectures help, but what helped me to understand it was the discussions in tutes and that’s why I liked them. It was where I learned most of my stuff and that’s why I could tackle essay questions okay, because of the discussions in class. (Simon − DoTS)

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Different disciplines in universities use different types of classes to teach different types of disciplinary knowledge. Tutorials are especially useful for learning ideas, theories and concepts. In Nursing and other fields where technical skills are required, students study in laboratory sessions. Vaughan highlighted the value of labs for learning practical nursing skills.
The actual Nursing class where you learn all your nursing skills is a lab which is sort of half a tute and half hands on. The first two hours is a sort of mini lecture, but it can be two way, you know, people pop up and there’s discussion for ten minutes about something. People put up their hands and tell a story from placement and how that is relevant. It’s interesting stuff. Then the other half is practical and hands on. You know, you get in there, give a needle, and learn how to stick in a nasal gastric tube, or whatever. (Vaughan − DoTS)

Tutorials provide students with opportunities to discuss and debate course material as well as to seek help and ask questions. Active participation in tutorials helps a student become more proficient at communicating academic points of view and helps them remember key points which better enables them to complete assignments.

Online discussion board

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Besides tutorials and laboratory sessions, there are other tools for interactive and peer learning in modern universities. In addition to face-to-face interaction with lecturers and tutors, universities now rely heavily on online interaction via student portals, blackboard sites, discussion boards and other new technologies.
Online discussion boards provide opportunities for students to explore ideas, test concepts and seek advice. In particular, one advantage is that, in contrast to lectures, discussion boards provide a user-centred method of teaching which may increase student engagement. The traditional lecture method of teaching has come under increased scrutiny since the widespread implementation of new technologies in university learning (Smith, 2004: 86−88).
Monash University was an early adopter of new technologies, introducing the my.monash student learning portal from July 2000. Since then, the portal has become a core component of university study in pathways programmes as well as undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as it enables students to have more control over their learning through increased teaching options as well as greater flexibility and portability. After the initial implementation of the my.monash portal, lecturers reported that students seemed more engaged
(Kennedy, Webster, Benson, James & Bailey, 2002: 25−26, 29−30, 35). A student portal at Stellenbosch University, which was fully rolled out from January 2006, similarly aims to support all students in enhancing their learning (Van der
Merwe & Pina, 2009: 115).
While online learning has become a central aspect of university study, matureaged students may be at some disadvantage using new technologies. In Australia, in suburban Queensland, mature-aged students returning to university study were found to be less confident about computers (Ballantyne, Madden &

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Todd, 2009: 307). Similarly, at the regional campuses of the University of Wollongong, mature-aged students experienced difficulties with new technologies and computer access. While most of the students did not have a computer at home, some students had chosen to live an alternative lifestyle “off the grid” and thus did not have electricity at home. Further, the widespread implementation of new technologies in university teaching − especially when online participation is compulsory for assessment − assumes that students not only have access to computers, the Internet, and printing facilities at home, but also that they can afford to pay for the required equipment and access fees (Lefoe, Gunn & Hedberg,
2002: 44−46).
While former pathways students have mixed feelings about listening to lectures online, they share a view that unit blackboard sites and discussion boards are useful. Yet, they also admit preferring to read discussion boards rather than actively contribute to them. MSAFP graduates Lindy and Anesu regarded the blackboard site and shared drive to be useful. Lindy highlighted that the blackboard had “everything you need”, while Anesu points out the shared drive meant students did not “miss out”.
You have to learn how to use the blackboard. Everything you need is there. The good thing about it is we have a discussion board. The discussion boards are good when you don’t understand anything. We answer each other’s questions in the discussions. (Lindy − MSAFP)
What I liked was the system on the shared drive. I didn’t know there was something like that. I thought that if you had missed out, you miss out. (Anesu −
MSAFP)

Former DoTS students also found the blackboard site and student discussion boards useful, however, they expresed reservations about actively contributing to discussion boards. Nursing student Kendall avoided using the discussion board as she feared the answers provided by students might be incorrect. Arts student Grace preferred face-to-face interaction and only used the discussion board for questions about assessments and definitions. Education student Helen
“didn’t mind” using the discussion board and found relying on her peers “very useful”. I generally don’t use the discussion board because I don’t like asking questions because students answer it and you don’t know if it’s right or wrong. I do use it sometimes. It’s really useful for placements, but I don’t generally ask questions on the discussion board because I don’t want the wrong answer. (Kendall − DoTS)
I use the discussion board for some things, like exams and if people have got stuck with essays. If it’s just like a definition for something, I’ll help out there. But
I find the discussion board really impersonal. I like talking to tutors better. (Grace
− DoTS)
I found the discussion boards very useful in some of my classes. I know in my year a lot of people didn’t like using them. They didn’t like putting it up there, but
I didn’t mind. I just put things up there and you’d get an answer back or someone else would be feeling the same thing, so they’d be able to help you. (Helen −
DoTS)

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As Helen pointed out, many students are reluctant to use discussion boards. Sorcha and Julia, who were both mature-aged students, passively read the discussion board but were reluctant to contribute actively and school leaver Phoenix could not recall that she had ever contributed.
I go through the discussion board and I read it. If there’s something I feel I need to say, I will say it. But usually I’m sitting back and I just observe. (Sorcha −
DoTS)
I don’t put my questions up there, but I read them a lot and I sometimes answer other people’s. (Julia − DoTS)
I don’t think I’ve once said something on the discussion board. I do read them. I just don’t really comment much. (Phoenix − DoTS)

Welfare student Jean-Paul was reluctant to use the discussion board because he lacked sufficient confidence and communication skills to maximise its benefits.
I was really shy. That was one of the major challenges. Being outgoing, having communication skills and that kind of thing, is pretty handy because you’ll be less afraid to ask for help and you’ll discuss things more openly and absorb it. (JeanPaul − DoTS)

Yet, the discussion board can also be a useful site for seeking assistance for assignments and lecture content. Phoenix and Max, both school leavers, suggested seeking help from their peers on the discussion board or approaching the lecturer. For Phoenix, it was best to “first go to the discussion board” and for Max, it was best to look at the discussion board or chat with the lecturer.
If I had an assignment due and I didn’t really know what it was asking me or something like that, I’d first go to the discussion board to see if anybody else was asking the same question. I think a few times it had been answered. It was already there for you, that was fine. But otherwise if there was a class that I went to the lecture for, I’d probably just hang back, or in the tute just say, “What did you mean by this?” Generally somebody else would ask it too. (Phoenix − DoTS)
If I was really stuck, I would go and look at the discussion board. Then, if I was still struggling, I’d go and have a chat to the lecturer. (Max − DoTS)

Scarlett, also a school leaver, suggested seeking help from a classmate is effective as students should “figure it out” independently.
I think it helps to know someone in the class, so you can go and talk to a classmate. It comes with being independent as well. You have to be able to go and figure it out for yourself [without the tutor]. (Scarlett − DoTS)

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Like tutorials, online discussion boards provide students with opportunities to interact with their peers to learn and access additional study resources. Whether a student chooses to contribute actively to an online discussion or passively consult it as a resource, the discussion board is a user-centred method of teaching that enables students to accept a share in “intellectual control” (Kantanis 2000:
109).

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Reading
Reading is a central activity of university learning. Students are required to read in preparation for tutorials, in order to understand lecture content, and when researching assignments. Indeed reading is “the process whereby learning occurs”
(Pretorius, 2000: 46). The range of reading skills commencing students bring to university study has been labelled a “gap” in recognition that many new students are at first unable to meet the demands of university level reading. Not only is the workload of university reading greater than a secondary school workload, but the level of complexity of the texts is also greater. A lack of analytical reading skills inhibits a student’s ability to succeed (Nel & Nel, 2009: 127).
New students’ preparedness for university reading varies. In the UK, commencing degree and pathways students across five major UK universities reported a considerable range in their reading skills. Only about a fifth (22%) of
English Literature students felt they were well prepared for the amount of reading of primary sources at university, while a third (33%) felt poorly prepared. In terms of the amount of reading of secondary critical and theoretical texts, a quarter (24%) of students felt well prepared and more than a quarter (28%) felt poorly prepared. Further, almost a third (30%) of students felt well prepared for contextualising their reading, but a quarter (24%) felt poorly prepared (Smith,
2004: 89). A lack of preparedness for the complexity of academic reading can hinder learning. Nearly a fifth (18%) of 180 commencing first year students at the
University of Wolverhampton found understanding academic language was a challenge (Leese, 2010: 244). Similarly, most students enrolling in Open University had reading skills that were not at an appropriate level for academic work as reflected in their lower test scores (Macdonald-Scott & Ross, 1997: 39).
Former MSAFP and DoTS pathway students struggle not only with managing the volume of weekly readings, but also with addressing the difficulty of the concepts and language used in their readings. Kelly, Sammy, Chipo and Anesu highlighted the difficulty of doing university reading. Kelly and Sammy emphasised that concentrating is important to understand the content of readings. For Kelly, who did not like reading, it was “really difficult” to understand university textbooks. For Sammy, “nothing is going to get in” when a student is having difficulty concentrating on reading.
I’m not a big reader at all. I don’t like reading. It’s difficult for me to sit, especially when there is really good stuff on TV as well. It’s not really the amount, but it’s the difficulty. Some of the textbooks are really difficult to understand. (Kelly −
MSAFP)
If I have a lot of things on my mind, if I’m thinking about going for a pizza, or going to a movie, or about the movie that I just watched, nothing is going to get in. I will just be staring at the paper and the words will just be dancing around the paper and I won’t get a thing. (Sammy − MSAFP)

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Like them, Chipo and Anesu found concentrating difficult. Both Chipo and
Anesu disliked reading and found learning from reading more difficult than learning from video or audio sources.

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You have to read a lot and I don’t like reading. I hate reading books. I hate it. I can’t even read novels and all that stuff. If it has a movie, I would rather watch the movie. So motivating myself, sometimes it’s the fact that if I don’t read, I’m not going to finish my degree. I need to know, to get the knowledge, to be able to finish. (Chipo − MSAFP)
I’m not a big reader. I’d honestly prefer it if something was video or audio. (Anesu
− MSAFP)

Besides the complexity of the reading, the amount of reading is also a challenge.
Former pathways students struggle with the volume of required reading each week. Nyaradzo and Marie outlined the effort required to keep up with the quantity of reading. Nyaradzo felt she was “always left behind” and Marie stressed having “to read every single day”.
The reading that we’re told to read, I’m always left behind. I, for one, am always left behind. By the time that they tell me to do the readings for this week, I’ll still be reading the readings for last week. I don’t know how that happens but that’s always the case. (Nyaradzo − MSAFP)
You have to read every single day. There’s a lot of it and sometimes it’s boring.
(Marie − MSAFP)

Former DoTS students also struggled with the volume of weekly required reading and Kendall explained that “you really just have to pace yourself”.
You get your unit guides at the start of every semester and you nearly fall over.
There is just so much at once and you really just have to pace yourself. I did find it a little bit overwhelming but you just take it one at a time and before you know it the semester’s over. (Kendall − DoTS)

Rachel, Carla and Stella all thought students “get used to” the volume of reading.
Rachel found the volume and difficulty of the reading challenging. Carla found the amount of reading “was just insane”, while Stella “never expected” the volume of reading she experienced.
There was a lot of reading. You get used to it, but in the beginning that was a lot of reading and it was reading like I’ve never had to read before. Here all your knowledge comes from reading. You don’t really get much off the lecturers. It’s reinforced by your reading. (Rachel − DoTS)
So much reading! So many things to read at once! It was just insane for the first month, but you get used to it. (Carla − DoTS)
The amount of reading − I never expected to be doing all that and that took a bit of getting used to. (Stella − DoTS)

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Persevering with the workload and complexity of academic reading is an aspect of university study that students learn to manage as they progress through pathways programmes and degree study. Serena and Melinda pointed out that understanding the concepts in academic reading can be difficult. Arts student Serena highlighted that academic reading involves “a higher level of understanding”

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and “more theoretical concepts”, while Nursing student Melinda described reading an entire chapter of a Nursing textbook as “pretty full on”.
It’s more academic. There’s a higher level of understanding and you have to understand academic journals and more theoretical concepts and everything like that. (Serena − DoTS)
In Nursing, at least, they expect you to read full chapters in a textbook. You can’t just sit down and read a full chapter on shock or a full chapter on wound care. It’s pretty full on. (Melinda − DoTS)

Both Serena and Melinda also pointed out that note-taking whilst reading helped them to understand complex materials. Serena outlined that she read readings “a few times” and highlighted important points to help her understanding, while
Melinda explained she read her Nursing textbooks next to her annotated lecture slides to help her understanding.
When I read something, after a few times of reading it and highlighting things, I understand some concepts. Sometimes I don’t think I know as much as I do and I surprise myself. I like it and I get into it because it’s interesting. (Serena − DoTS)
It’s the sort of stuff they summarise in the lecture notes. So I would read with my lecture slides there and add to my lecture slides. That’s how I would do my reading. (Melinda − DoTS)

Former pathways students struggle at first with the reading workload. Reap, who returned to study from the workforce, described the process of learning to manage reading as “exercise” for a student’s brain which gradually builds stamina.
Sitting down for more than an hour reading was hard. You gain this mental strength. You know, when you exercise your body, you do things and you’re stronger, you’re fitter, you can go for longer. Your brain is the same. Exercise your brain. You can absorb more information and your stamina increases. (Reap −
DoTS)

Like Reap, Tina enjoyed developing mental stamina to keep up with reading.
But Tina struggled with the physical demands of reading which put strain on her neck and back causing headaches.
My neck and back gave me the worst trouble with the constant reading. I’d sit up for half an hour and lie down for half an hour. I went and bought a special pillow, and then I bought a sun bed. The strain on the back of my neck would result in headaches. That was the hardest thing. I enjoy reading. That wasn’t the thing. It was my neck and my back. If you’ve got a headache, you just can’t read. (Tina −
DoTS)

Former pathways students identify that it can be difficult to complete all the required weekly readings and they found that keeping up to date with readings was challenging. Kirsty highlighted keeping up with reading as her “biggest issue” in university study.
Doing all the reading, the course materials, the booklets and everything, keeping up with those, that was probably my biggest issue and, even though I’m now a

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teacher, I still hate reading. There were always one or two [readings] that I just left. (Kirsty − DoTS)

Zoe, Vaughan, and Daniel also had trouble keeping up with weekly reading. At the beginning of the academic year they were able to complete their readings, however, by the time their first assignments were due, they had less available time. For Zoe, her weekly reading “gradually dropped away” and became “just more crammed”. Vaughan and Daniel recalled that weekly reading was displaced by assignment preparation.
I know I really should have done more. At the start I was doing all the readings, then they just gradually dropped away and I didn’t do much of the readings.
When it came time for an essay that was due or a presentation or exam I would do the readings. It was just more crammed than it should have been. (Zoe −
DoTS)
I remember doing readings at the start of the semester and coming up to tutes thinking “I know everything! This system works!” But then by the time your first assignment is due and you’ve got other ones, you don’t have time. (Vaughan −
DoTS)
I’ve always been a prolific reader, but there are times when you kind of suspend doing the weekly reading for the sake of completing assignments. (Daniel − DoTS)

Former pathways students recognise the importance of reading for university study so they are motivated to complete reading, even when they dislike reading. Sammy, Serena and Scarlett pointed out that it is important for students to make time to complete weekly readings. Despite disliking reading, both Sammy and Serena made an effort to keep up, while Scarlett found that because students
“cannot skim readings” she had to be “realistic” about making time to read in depth. I’m not much of a reader. I don’t even read novels. But reading schoolwork wasn’t that hard for me because I knew I had to do it. No matter how much it was.
(Sammy − MSAFP)
I read what I have to read. I’m not a big reader. I read something if I enjoy it. I don’t have time to read. I’ve been trying to do my reading on the train. (Serena −
DoTS)
The amount of readings was difficult. You have to do it each week. You have to make time and you have to be realistic about them. Also you cannot skim readings. (Scarlett − DoTS)

In contrast to Sammy and Serena who disliked reading, Phoenix loved reading and prioritised her university reading over her social life outside the university.

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I love doing the reading. Even though I have a very busy social life, I look forward to it and I make sure I have enough time to do it. I tell my friends, “No, I can’t. I’ve got to do this reading,” or, “I’ve got to study”. (Phoenix − DoTS)

Former pathways students draw motivation to complete weekly readings from their interest in a field of study. Lindy highlighted that it was difficult for her to stop reading if she was interested in the subject.

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You actually reach a point where you are enjoying what you are reading and you think, “Oh, this is fun.” You go read the other chapter that links to the previous chapter and you don’t want to stop. But then you know if you cramp your mind too much, nothing will come out of it at the end of the day. (Lindy − MSAFP)

Daniel also found it difficult to stop reading on a subject that interested him.
Daniel recalls being so interested in Psychology that he completed all fifteen of the required and recommended readings for one topic.
Depending on your interest level in a subject, sometimes you just want to absorb everything you can because it’s close to your heart. I completely and utterly thrived on my Psychology stuff. One week we had fifteen articles and I read every one of them just because I wanted to know that much more about it. (Daniel −
DoTS)

Similarly, Denise was driven by interest in her field of study. Denise reported that she “actually enjoyed” reading even when struggling with “dry” texts.
Most of the readings were alright. There were a couple of dry ones I had to force myself through, but I actually enjoyed it. (Denise − DoTS)

Spending time to complete readings is crucial for success in university study.
The volume and complexity of university reading is challenging for students.
However, as reading is a key learning tool at university, it is essential that students learn to cope with the amount of reading each week as well as the difficulty of the texts they are required to read. Increasing exposure to new disciplinary language and concepts, rereading and taking notes can be effective ways to learn from reading.

Strategies for reading
Completing academic reading involves skills and habits that a student can develop. Spending time on studying, especially when the material is complex and challenging, benefits students in developing their academic skills. In the US, a survey of more than 6000 university students conducted by the University of
Pennsylvania found that students developed academic competence and cognitive engagement if their universities emphasised spending time on study (Reason,
Terenzini & Domingo, 2006: 164). Similarly, it has been suggested that unless lecturers set expectations high enough, students will not put in effort and develop their skills (Tinto, 2008: 3; Engstrom & Tinto, 2008). In Australia, such an approach has been referred to as “phasing students in” (Clerehan, 2003: 76) or as “scaffolding” in terms of assessment (Taylor, 2006, 2008). In South Africa, students continue to develop their academic engagement and epistemological competence throughout an undergraduate degree, so that, by their third year, students have sufficient “self-efficacy” to learn independently, persevere with study, and cope with challenging tasks (Hlalele, 2010: 100−101).
Recent research in South Africa records poor levels of reading among students at the University of Pretoria, University of South Africa, and Potchefstroom and

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Mafikeng campuses of North-West University, where students have been found to struggle with new and unfamiliar terminology and writing style in academic texts (Nel & Nel, 2009: 127−129). At the University of South Africa, many students were reading at “frustration levels” with 50% or less comprehension accuracy. This was caused in part by underresourcing in schools, but also by students studying in a second language and because reading was often not part of a student’s everyday life outside school (Pretorius, 2000: 44−45). For Medicine and
Mathematics students alike, a student’s reading ability was a clear indicator of their academic achievement. However, good academic performance depends not only on reading ability, but also on students’ motivations to achieve, their persistence with study, as well as their dedication to complete a task (Pretorius,
2002: 186−187). As for Medicine and Mathematics students, for Psychology students, reading ability was connected to academic success. Psychology students at the University of South Africa avoided effective reading strategies, such as previewing. Focused only on answering assignment questions, these students overlooked prereading strategies that could enable them to contextualise the content of their readings into an overall picture (Pretorius, 2005: 802).
Similarly, Australian Indigenous students in Tertiary Preparation and Diploma of Education courses at the University of Sydney’s Koori Centre found independent reading difficult. Most students had limited prior formal education, negative past experiences of education and did not read outside university. Through a scaffolded support model, akin to a master-apprentice model, students were able to learn to comprehend, interpret, and critically analyse their readings simultaneously (Rose, Lui-Chivizhe, McKnight & Smith, 2003: 41−42). Students learned three steps in academic reading from preparing for reading, carrying out detailed reading, and then making notes and writing summaries to help develop their written work. Each of these steps helped improve their writing and build their confidence for university study (Rose, Lui-Chivizhe, McKnight & Smith, 2003:
43−48).
To develop academic reading skills, students need to become metacognitive learners and develop an awareness of how and why they read. Before reading, students should be aware of what they need to study and how they intend to learn the required information. While reading, students should employ effective academic reading skills to identify explicit and implicit key ideas in a text, to distinguish between important and unimportant information, and to select, organise, and interpret ideas and themes across different texts. After reading, students should be aware of whether they have learned effectively (Nel & Nel, 2009:
129−130; see also Wade & Reynolds, 1989).
Former pathways students highlighted that there can be a mismatch of expectations and experiences concerning academic reading when a student realises how many hours they need to spend reading one text. MSAFP graduate Anesu described his realisation of the workload involved in academic reading after commencing the pathway programme.
At first a person will be excited to be at university and say, “Okay, I’m going to read.” But then they see how long it takes. I was like that. I think to read 20

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pages, I read half in two hours, I took a break, and then read the other half in three hours. I was like, “Tss! I don’t want to do this.” (Anesu − MSAFP)

Managing the workload involved in academic reading is easier if a student develops effective study habits. Troy outlined the positive influence his cousin had in helping him to develop effective reading habits.
I stay with my cousin outside. He always reads. He has a laptop, so every day he will lock himself in his room and use his laptop for reading. That encouraged me because I have a laptop and I can also read. The fact that I want to pass also encourages me to read. (Troy − MSAFP)

Like MSAFP students, DoTS students also developed a number of strategies for completing academic reading. Scarlett and Daniel offered advice on specific reading strategies they found useful in university study. Arts student Scarlett managed the complexity of reading by choosing “to break the paragraphs in half” and make detailed notes “everywhere”.
There has to be something in the page to know. The reading is set for us to figure out something, or learn something out of it. Some pages, I had to break the paragraphs in half and there were notes everywhere to understand it. In second year
Arts, a lot of my readings are like that. It teaches you how to think from different perspectives as well. (Scarlett − DoTS)

Further, Scarlett explained that her note-taking developed into a systematised process where she noted any links of the content of the reading to lecture material, assignment topics, as well as concepts in other readings.
Even if I just put at the side, or if I find a quote, I’ll put “Useful for assignment”, or I’ll put “Link to lecture slide three”, or I’ll have my slides with me on one side and I’ll have my reader on the other and if I find something that links, I’ll highlight it and I’ll put it on the slide “Page four of reader.” It’s so much easier when you come to assignment writing or study to pick them out. (Scarlett − DoTS)

Like Scarlett, Arts student Daniel outlined a number of his strategies for effective academic reading. Daniel found that academic reading involved paying attention and reading in depth.
The reading is different because you have to pay attention to every line. If you’re reading it to learn it for the first time, then you’ve got to read everything, because otherwise you could miss the bit that you needed to know. (Daniel − DoTS)

Yet, different reading strategies suit different purposes for reading. When a student is reading for specific information or to revise after study, skim reading may be an appropriate reading technique. In contrast, when a student is reading to learn new information, an appropriate technique may be to read in depth and take detailed notes. Daniel stressed a difference between reading with “an idea of what you’re looking for” and reading “to learn something”.
If you’re looking up literature for an assignment or essay you’ve got to go through it first, skim it, to find the bits you want to use, because you’re already going to

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have an idea of what you’re looking for. But if you’re reading it to learn something, you have to take it all in and balance it against your other knowledge.
(Daniel − DoTS)

In reading to learn a new topic, a student might need to reread the same text, or section of text, several times before understanding its meaning, particularly if the vocabulary or concepts are new or challenging. Daniel pointed out that learning a new topic requires a student to “really focus” and “to read and reread” to develop a deep understanding of a topic.
When you read, you have to really focus. You read until you come to a word you don’t understand, then you have to read it again to get the context, and maybe read it again with a dictionary to work out what it means. You have to read and reread to be able to get the most out of something. (Daniel − DoTS)

To maximise the results of reading, a student may benefit from taking detailed notes and highlighting key ideas and relevant concepts. A useful strategy for learning from reading is to take notes. Like Scarlett, who highlighted her readings with reference to her lectures slides and course reader, Daniel read with “a highlighter in one hand” and always made notes.
I highlight. When I sit down to read, I have a highlighter in one hand and a book open in the other. If I highlight anything, I then always make sure I write something next to it to remind myself why I highlighted it. If you go back six weeks later and you’re flicking through it for an assignment or something, you mightn’t even be looking for the same kind of thing. But because you’ve highlighted a bunch of stuff, your eyes will automatically be drawn to it and it can be a bit of a distraction. So whenever I highlight stuff, I always write why to save myself from confusion later on. (Daniel − DoTS)

Former pathways students found academic reading was hard work and that it was difficult to concentrate on academic reading. Like Kendall, who recommended “pacing” the reading workload, Julia recommended taking regular study breaks to help stay focused when readings complex materials.
Getting my readings done, I found it difficult because sometimes they are not super interesting and it’s hard to hold my attention. I just sort of kept going I guess and had a little break, or just read it through, and then went back and had another look at it later. (Julia − DoTS)

Other former DoTS students found limited study time prevented them from reading all the required materials. One temptation was to skim read. Jenna and
Vaughan both attempted to skim read to manage the academic reading workload. While Arts student Jenna found learning to skim read was “very difficult”,
Nursing student Vaughan found skim reading completely ineffective for understanding new materials.

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Learning how to skim read was very difficult but, because there is so much of it, that’s all you can do. (Jenna − DoTS)
You go to lectures and you go to work and you have a life. You can’t fit in that much reading, especially for me who doesn’t read all that quickly and can’t skim

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read. If I try to skim read, I just look back at the page and think “What on earth did I just try and read?” I can’t skim read. (Vaughan − DoTS)

While Vaughan found skim reading ineffective, the reading strategy he developed involved highlighting and note-taking.
I can’t read stuff off a computer screen. I have to have a hard copy for it to work on me, because I like to highlight and write on it. (Vaughan − DoTS)

Former pathways students stress the value of highlighting and note-taking whilst reading. They also point out the importance of selecting relevant information from readings. In a trial of different academic reading strategies at the University of Sussex in the UK, more than 2000 students found that learning the differences between reading sequentially for everyday entertainment and reading selectively for learning assisted their studying As Du Boulay (1999: 154) explains, drawing on an example of train timetables, reading sequentially involves reading a list of all train arrivals, whilst reading selectively involves selecting a train to arrive in
Manchester before lunch. Reading selectively involves clarifying a purpose and focus prior to reading as well as using headings, indices, and scanning skills during reading (Du Boulay, 1999: 154).
Like Scarlett, Daniel, and Vaughan, Jenna, Kirsty, and Melinda all found highlighting and note-taking a useful strategy when reading for specific study purposes. While Arts student Jenna was conscious not to “skip over” important ideas and concepts as she learned to take notes, Education student Kirsty tried to
“highlight the important stuff” in her readings.
Definitely the reading was the hardest, and making notes. I was always worried that I was going to skip over something important. (Jenna − DoTS)
I’d try and go through and highlight the important stuff. (Kirsty − DoTS)

Nursing student Melinda found note-taking useful in understanding readings and
“absorbing it a little bit more”.
Just reading for the sake of reading was a waste of time. But if I was reading and note-taking, it felt like I was absorbing it a little bit more. (Melinda − DoTS)

Former pathways students emphasise that note-taking is part of the academic reading process and that reading enhances a student’s capacity to understand and learn the course materials. Paige and Copernicus highlighted the advantages of keeping up with the weekly readings, as readings reinforce and deepen understanding of course materials.
If you don’t understand something from the lecture, the readings back it up and explain it to you. I don’t think I made that connection while I was doing DoTS but when I did the readings it made a lot more sense. (Paige − DoTS)
Do the reading. It helps a lot. I can safely say that. The weeks that I did the reading, I felt a lot more confident about what I was doing. (Copernicus − DoTS)

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Further, note-taking from readings enables students to develop questions that not only deepen their understanding, but also to enable them to participate more actively in tutorial discussions and prepare better assignments. Paige highlighted that asking questions helps a student understand a concept or idea.
One of the things I learnt in my third year was that you need to be able to ask questions about what you’re reading in order to understand it. So if you don’t understand a concept, you need to go ask questions about it and ask, “Why are they saying this?” I think that’s something you need to know. (Paige − DoTS)

Developing strategies for managing the amount and complexity of reading helps students cope with weekly studies. Highlighting and note-taking while reading are particularly effective for understanding the content of readings and learning the required study materials. Most important is spending time to complete readings and keep up to date with the workload.

Conclusion

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The student voices in this chapter highlight the centrality of independent learning to university study. Taking responsibility to become a self-regulated learner means a student must actively manage their learning. Putting in effort and having a willingness to learn indicate a student has commitment, dedication and the right attitude for studying. In contrast, a poor attitude reduces motivation and can lead to failure. Being self-disciplined and focusing on studying rather than socialising allow students to achieve their goals and for many former pathways students the independence of university study was an enjoyable way to learn.
They reported that setting goals to achieve good marks, a degree place, or a future career helped inspire them to study and persist throughout the semester.
Independent learning is encountered by pathways students as a new type of learning compared with school. Student experiences of university lectures and tutorials did not meet their expectations and they found classes more enjoyable and teaching staff more approachable than predicted. Engagement with lecturers was thought to be crucial for success and to make studying easier as effective teaching made studying enjoyable. Most students found face-to-face lectures preferable to online learning resources as a primary method for study. Taking notes in lectures was a valuable tool for learning that helped students remember content, stay focused and make sense of the knowledge provided. Detailed notes helped students interpret and express ideas as well as prepare for essays and exams. Tutorial discussions were the most effective and stimulating way to learn and understand challenging new material and also provided opportunities to ask questions and seek advice when required. Discussion boards were also useful for seeking advice about assessment and definitions but were often used as a passive resource.
Reading is an essential activity for independent learning. Former pathways students found the volume and complexity of course reading challenging. In particular, concentration and time management affected students’ abilities to com-

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plete weekly readings. Keeping up to date with reading is essential for tutorial and assessment preparation. Students developed strategies to build stamina to cope with reading. Most university reading involves reading in depth which is more time consuming than students expect. In contrast to skim reading, which was found to be ineffective for learning and understanding new material, highlighting and note-taking became part of most students’ daily reading rituals. Asking questions about the content of readings in their notes or in tutorials helped students learn, as effective reading reinforces and deepens understanding.

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